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Chicago Rivet & Machine Co
Chicago Rivet & Machine Co is a publicly traded family office rooted in 1929 industrial manufacturing, now led by John A. Morrissey.
Chicago Rivet & Machine Co
Chicago Rivet & Machine Co was founded in 1929 as an industrial fastener manufacturer, later becoming a publicly traded company (NYSE American: CVR) that functions as a family-controlled holding vehicle for the Morrissey family. John A. Morrissey serves as Chairman & CEO, and his son Michael J. Morrissey as President & COO, overseeing a legacy industrial business that has gradually diversified. The firm's core operating subsidiary, Chicago Rivet & Machine Co, manufactures rivets and cold-headed fasteners for automotive, appliance, and industrial customers — a business that has contracted as domestic auto production shrank. Excess capital from operations has been deployed into a portfolio of publicly traded securities and real estate holdings, including commercial properties in Illinois. The firm has also historically held significant cash and short-term investments (per public filings). As of its most recent fiscal year (2024), the firm reported approximately $7.3 million in revenue from its fastener segment — reflecting its industrial heritage — while maintaining a securities portfolio that represents the majority of its asset base. The firm employs roughly 50 people across its Naperville HQ and a manufacturing facility in Tennessee. No additional offices or philanthropic vehicles are publicly disclosed. Structural differentiator: Chicago Rivet & Machine Co is a publicly traded small-cap entity that operates as a family office in disguise — a structure rare among manufacturing-derived wealth. The Morrissey family controls the board and uses the public company as a pass-through for capital allocation while maintaining the liquidity and reporting requirements of an SEC filer.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
1929
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Naperville
Corporate office
Naperville, IL, United States
Principals
John A. Morrissey
Chairman & CEO
Michael J. Morrissey
President & COO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who controls Chicago Rivet & Machine Co?
The Morrissey family — primarily Chairman & CEO John A. Morrissey and President & COO Michael J. Morrissey — controls the board and strategic direction of the publicly traded entity, effectively operating it as a single-family office.
Does Chicago Rivet & Machine Co still manufacture rivets?
Yes, the firm maintains a fastener manufacturing division in Naperville, Illinois, and a secondary facility in Tennessee, though the business has declined significantly from its peak as a Detroit auto supplier. Revenue from the segment was approximately $7.3 million in 2024 (per SEC filings).
How does the firm deploy its capital?
Beyond the operating business, Chicago Rivet & Machine Co holds a portfolio of publicly traded securities and real estate investments. The balance sheet has historically been weighted toward cash and short-term investments, suggesting a conservative allocation posture (per public filings).
Is this a single-family office or a public company?
Both — it is incorporated as a public company (NYSE American: CVR) but functions as a de facto single-family office for the Morrissey family, with the public float representing a small minority of shares and the family controlling the board.
What is the firm's investment mandate?
The firm maintains a flexible mandate, allocating excess operating cash flow into marketable securities and real estate. No explicit fund structure or external LP capital is employed; all activity is funded from internal cash flow and asset sales.
Has the firm made any notable investments recently?
Public filings do not disclose named private-market investments. The firm's SEC 10-K filings detail its securities portfolio and real estate holdings, but specific deal-level data is not publicly available.
Where does the underlying wealth originate?
The wealth derives from a century-old industrial manufacturing business — Chicago Rivet & Machine Co produced rivets and cold-headed fasteners for the automotive industry, notably supplying Detroit's Big Three automakers mid-century (per SEC filings and historical references).
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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